Code of Ethics

USA Obstacle Course Racing members and staff are bound by the code of ethics. This details the ethical principles of the USAOCR, based on the core values and the standards to which the members shall be held.

The Code is applicable to the following persons:

Members of the Board of Directors

Members of Committees

Athlete members

USAOCR staff

Each of the above persons being referred to hereinafter shall be to as a ‘Party’.

Principles

Each Party must, both in the carrying out of its duties within the USAOCR as well as on a day-today basis, shall comply with the principles of:

Human dignity

Nondiscrimination, for whatever reason: race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, philosophical and political opinions, marital status or any other

Nonviolence, including abstaining from any kind of pressure and harassment, whether physical, mental, professional or sexual

Priority to the interests of sport and athletes in relation to financial interests

Protection of the environment

Political neutrality

USAOCR Constitution

Olympic Charter

All parties shall, on all occasions and to the best of their ability, serve the interests of obstacle racing and USAOCR. They shall be aware of their task and their personal responsibility and take all necessary action to carry it out. They shall refrain from any behavior that may jeopardize racing or USAOCR’s reputation.

Integrity

Under the Code of Ethics, all Parties shall refrain from asking, accepting or proposing, either directly or indirectly, any payment or commission, any advantages or services of any kind, whether it is in exchange for their work carried out for the USAOCR, and which has not been agreed with or authorized by the competent authority at the USAOCR. They will inform USAOCR of any offers of this kind that are made to them.

Only symbolic gifts may be offered or accepted by the Parties, as a mark of respect or as a token of friendship in accordance with usual local custom. Any other gifts received must be sent to the USAOCR. A competent authority at World OCR must authorize any other gifts offered to a third-party.

Likewise, the Parties and any other persons accompanying them shall not accept hospitality offered by their hosts if this goes beyond the limits fixed by the norms in force in the countries of the latter. Any case that contravenes this measure shall be brought before the ethics commission. This rule also applies to the hospitality given to USAOCR partners. The Parties should inform their partners of these measures.

The Parties must not have relations with any organizations, companies or persons whose activities are incompatible with the principles set out in USAOCR Constitution, Olympic Charter and the present Code.

The Parties who represent USAOCR in an outside body shall be obliged to intervene and vote in accordance with the instructions that they may have received from the competent authority at USAOCR or, failing that, in accordance with their personal beliefs, independent of the interests of obstacle sports and USAOCR. They shall not accept from any third-party any instructions to vote or any intervention of any nature.

Conflict of Interest

There may be a conflict of interests when the objectivity of one Party, in expressing an opinion or when a decision is being made within the USAOCR, may be influenced or be perceived as being influenced due to personal or financial interests.

If a Party happens to be aware of a potential conflict of interests, it shall be obliged to inform the ethics commission, which will instruct it on how to avoid or resolve the dispute. If the ethics commission cannot be consulted in due time, the Party in question shall refrain from taking any action or any measures which may lead to the risk of a conflict of interests.

Confidentiality

Parties shall refrain from disclosing any information concerning the USAOCR or its activities, which has not been made public, except if the disclosure of that information has been authorized by the competent authority at the USAOCR or made obligatory by a rule or by an applicable policy.

The disclosure of information must not be aimed at making profit, nor any personal advantage, nor be motivated by malicious intent in order to damage the physical or moral reputation of a person.

Ethics Committee

The ethics committee has the following authority:

To ensure that the present Code is being respected

To receive complaints regarding any infringement to the present Code

To give advice and assistance on ethical matters, particularly as regards the application of the present Code

To advise on how to avoid or resolve conflicts of interest

To recommend sanctions which could be taken against offenders of the present Code

To set out measures for the application of this Code

To put forward proposals aimed at creating a program to teach on ethics

Each year the ethics commission shall present a report to the USAOCR Congress on the application of the present Code, listing any infringements to its rules.

The ethics commission shall be made up of at least three members. The USAOCR Congress shall appoint them, on the proposal of the Board of Directors, two years after the election of the Board of Directors. The inaugural Congress shall appoint the first ethics commission, for a period of five years.

Members of the ethics commission shall be appointed for a mandate of four years. They shall be irremovable. In the event of a vacancy due to death or resignation, the Board of Directors, if necessary, shall make a provisional appointment, which shall be approved at the following Congress.